In the past various system and methods have been developed for treating different areas of skin with electromagnetic radiation (EMR). Examples of some treatments have been targeted to apply treatment to the skin to achieve hair removal, wrinkle removal, sun spot removal, or to achieve general therapeutic effects. However, in general it has been observed that such application of EMR has not been widely utilized in manner which has been effective to achieve a reduction in, or a tightening of areas of skin where there is a relatively large mass of loose skin. Indeed, in the past this cosmetically undesirable skin condition has been difficult to treat or eliminate through non-invasive medical means. One especially challenging area of lax or redundant skin to treat is post-partum lax, or redundant skin, which can take on the appearance of “baggy”, loose, wrinkled, or extra skin, resulting from the simple geometric fact that the abdomen of a pregnant woman undergoes rapid changes in size. Said redundant skin can persist for decades after pregnancy. Indeed, in some circumstances the appearance of the postpartum abdominal skin will become more baggy or wrinkled in appearance a number of years after a pregnancy.
In the past one common method of treating lax post-partum skin has been plastic surgery, such as abdominoplasty which is often a standard invasive medical approach. One advantage of an embodiment of the present system and method is that it provides a non-invasive, low intervention risk, treatment which can be performed in an office setting. The discussion provided below provides for various embodiments of a system and method for using filament light source to provide light, EMR, to provide energy to treat lax, wrinkled, or redundant skin areas. Some specific aspects of treating lax post-partum skin, or other relatively large volume loose skin areas, are discussed in more detail toward the end of the present specification.